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North Marion shot putter Angela Sprecher prepares to throw the shot put during the OSAA 4A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Cascade's Stepan Zavydovskyy runs in the 4x400 meter relay during the OSAA 4A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Silver ton's Cheyenne Partlow prepares to throw the shot put during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Silver ton's Cheyenne Partlow competes in the shot put during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

West Salem's Tristan James wins his third consecutive triple jump during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

West Salem's Tristan James wins his third consecutive triple jump during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

West Salem's Tristan James wins his third consecutive triple jump during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

West Salem's Tristan James wins his third consecutive triple jump during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Silverton high jumper Shon Ackerman competes during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Dallas' Kyleen Benz celebrates her second place in the discus while on the podium during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Silverton high jumper Lucas Wilson competes during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Central high jumper Kaj Bansen competes during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

McNary's Kyle Torres, left, and West Salem's Tristan James run the anchor leg of the 4x100 meter relay during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Silverton high jumper Colton Myers competes during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Central's Abby McBeth competes in the 1500 meter run during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

West Salem's Brook Chuhlantseff competes in the 1500 meter run during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Grant's Ella Donaghu celebrates winning the 1500 meter run during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Valley Catholic's Wilder Boyden celebrates winning the 1500 meter run during the OSAA 4A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

West Salem's Ahmed Muhumed (2414) competes in the 1500 meter run during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Cascade's John Schemer competes in the triple jump during the OSAA 4A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Dallas' Kyleen Benz throws the shot put during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Silverton's Megan Traeger competes in the shot put during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Silverton's Travis Sinn takes off from the block while running the 400 meter dash during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

McNary's Brendan Van Voorhis while competing in the 400 meter dash during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Silverton's Allyson Ridling competes in the 100 meter hurdles during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

North Marion's Camdon Richey competes in the 110 meter hurdles during the OSAA 4A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Silverton's Brock Rogers competes in the 110 meter hurdles during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

North Salem's Tiffany Wall competes in the high jump during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Silverton's Maddie Fuhrman (1923) runs with the pack during the 800 meter run during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

West Salem's Jacob Kizer competes in the javelin during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Silverton's Allyson Ridling runs the 300 meter hurdles during the OSAA 5A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Sprague's Mia Diaz runs her leg of the 4x400 meter relay during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

West Salem's Emilee Silbernagel get the handoff for the anchor of the 4x400 meter relayduring the OSAA Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Philomath's Trevor Sartnurak celebrates his teams victory in the 4x400 meter relay during the OSAA 4A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Lakeridge's Cameron Russell celebrates while outpacing Central Catholic's Jaron Barrow to the line in the first heat of the 4x400 meter relay during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

McNary's Austin Brown starts the 4x400 meter relay during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

West Salem's Randall Coughlan gets the baton during the 4x400 meter relay during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

McNary's Riley Moore runs in the 4x400 meter relay during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

West Salem's Tristan James runs the anchor leg of the 4x400 meter relay during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

Cascade runner Danielle Haddix runs the first leg of the 4x100 meter relay during the OSAA 4A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

McNary's Kyle Torres while competing in the 400 meter dash during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene. BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal

West Salem's Tristan James wins his third consecutive triple jump during the OSAA 6A Track & Field Championships inside Hayward Field at the University of Oregon, on Saturday, May 23, 2015, in Eugene.(Photo: BRENT DRINKUT/Statesman Journal)Buy Photo

EUGENE – None of the 8,619 people at Hayward Field Saturday were surprised that Tristan James won the OSAA Class 6A state championship in the triple jump.

As last year's state champion and being by far the best in the state in the event erases some of the suspense.

But the West Salem High School senior still won the competition by a lot and made history.

James became the first athlete from West Salem to win three state championships in any sport by winning the triple jump for the third consecutive year with a distance of 49 feet, 1.5 inches at the OSAA Class 6A state track and field championships.

"I'm honored to pursue that title," James said. "I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm truly blessed. I just want to thank God, thank my family, thank my coaches and my friends."

West Salem has had multiple-time state champions in other sports – swimming, wrestling and tennis – but James is the only in track and field.

James was the top seed for the state meet in the triple jump by almost four feet, but Jesuit's Kasin Pendergrass Anderson had jumped 48-7 this season and posed a threat to James' aspirations of winning another state championship.

"Kasin and Harrison (Schrage) all had the potential to jump extremely far, and so did … Devon (Loecks) from Lake Oswego," said James, who was second in Friday's long jump. "They all had potential to jump far.

"Kasin and Devon did very well. Harrison unfortunately is struggling with some health issues and my hat goes off to him. Everybody goes through those things and those suck. I just wish all of them the best for next year."

The actual competition wasn't close.

James jumped 48-6 on his first attempt – which was good enough to win the competition – and that mark gave him a comfortable lead throughout the preliminaries.

But that jump could have been a lot better.

"For some odd reason I've dealt with that problem all year, being on the board," James said. "It just kind of happened again and we did our best to work with it and I think we fixed it, and luckily it paid off."

On his first jump of finals James had his winning leap of 49-1.5.

Loeks placed second with a mark of 46-10.75 and Pendergrass Anderson was third at 45-9.25, giving James a margin of victory of over two feet.

He set his personal record in the event at the Greater Valley Conference district track and field meet one week before at 49-2.

"That 48-6 he was about two inches behind the board, so there's the difference," Herber said. "Just getting actually on the take-off board and on that 49-1 he had all the board."

West Salem placed fifth in the team standings with 39 points. Grants Pass won with 63.5.

West Salem's Chase Lakin, Aidan Herring, Spencer Aeschliman and Tristan James placed fourth in the 400 relay in 42.49 and the 1,600 relay team of Jacob Miller, Herring, Randall Coughlan and James placed fourth in 3:21.74.

Also for West Salem, Ahmed Muhumed placed fifth in the 1,500 (3:57.45), Angela Mumford placed sixth in the discus (119-8), Jacob Kizer placed eighth in the javelin at 171-6 and Brooke Chuhlantseff placed eighth in the 1,500 (4:43.29).

Torres, who was the sixth seed for the finals, was in the seventh lane and set a torrid pace early and led the race after 200 meters.

"I just knew I had to get out and go because there were guys that were running 48s behind me and I didn't want to get caught," Torres said.

South Medford's Kaiser Gillispie would pass Torres on the north turn and win in 47.89, but Torres had his hands full down the front stretch to hold off Oregon City's Jake Harthun and Tigard's Tyler Rosette to place second.

"It was great," Torres said. "I've worked hard all season so I was excited to see it pay off."

McNary's 400 relay team of Austin Brown, Van Voorhis, Riley Moore and Torres placed third in 42.42 and the team of Brown, Van Voorhis, Moore and Torres placed fifth in 3:22.16 in the 1,600 relay.

For South Salem, Jordan Woodvine placed seventh in the shot put with a mark of 37-7.